House speaker: House won’t pass health overhaul bill without public plan

September 8th, 2009 Key Dem moderate turns against public planWASHINGTON — A leader of a pivotal group of moderate House Democrats says he can no longer support a new public insurance plan in a health overhaul bill. Rep. Mike Ross of Arkansas made the announcement Tuesday as members of Congress returned from Washington after their August recess.

September 8th, 2009 Prospects dimming for gov't insurance planWASHINGTON — Prospects for a government insurance plan appeared to be sinking fast Tuesday as lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill a day ahead of a major health care speech by President Barack Obama. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told reporters a Medicare-like plan for middle-class Americans and their families isn't essential for him to back legislation.

September 1st, 2009 Hoyer maintains support for public optionWALDORF, Md. — House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told cheering and jeering constituents Tuesday he still supports a public health insurance option as part of a health care overhaul.

August 21st, 2009 Senate negotiators aim to cut costs in health billWASHINGTON — Bipartisan health care negotiators are aiming to cut the costs of their bill after getting an earful from voters, a participant in the closed-door talks said Friday. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, a moderate whose support could be crucial if President Barack Obama is to realize his goal of a comprehensive health care overhaul, said contact with constituents "sharpened our focus on issues such as affordability and cost." "We keep reinventing the wheel in terms of our approach based on what we learn at home," Snowe told The Associated Press.

August 18th, 2009 Liberals push for public health insurance planWASHINGTON — Congressional liberals are telling the Obama administration that a health overhaul bill cannot pass unless it includes a new government-run insurance option. The Congressional Progressive Caucus, made up of more than 80 liberal House members, wrote to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius expressing opposition to her weekend comments suggesting a public option was not essential to a health overhaul.

August 14th, 2009 Lawmaker predicts no health overhaul this yearWASHINGTON — A Pennsylvania lawmaker who is a close ally of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says it's looking unlikely that Congress will pass health care overhaul legislation this year. Democratic Rep.

August 7th, 2009 Pelosi: Protests won't derail health care overhaulDENVER — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says boisterous protests at health care promotions sponsored by Democrats this summer won't derail a massive health overhaul looming when Congress returns to work next month. Pelosi, D-Calif., visited a Denver clinic for the homeless Thursday and was greeted by about 200 protesters cramming four corners of a city intersection.

August 5th, 2009 Obama promises health care overhaul this yearWAKARUSA, Ind. — President Barack Obama promised Wednesday that there will be an overhaul of the health care system before the end of the year and said it doesn't have to be a bipartisan effort.

July 27th, 2009 Dems alone can't deliver Obama health care winWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's push to overhaul health care needs Republican votes, lawmakers from both parties say. Democratic and GOP officials acknowledged Sunday that Obama's ambitious plan would not pass without the aid of a doubtful GOP, whose members are almost united against the White House effort.

July 21st, 2009 Senior Democrat says no consensus on health billWASHINGTON — House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer says House Democrats are struggling to reach consensus on overhauling health care, a divide that could delay House approval of a plan beyond lawmakers' scheduled vacation in August. House leaders have said they wanted to pass a plan before they leave on a monthlong break.

July 20th, 2009 Obama: pass health overhaul by end of yearWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama pushed back hard against critics of his health care overhaul plan Monday, vowing to fight "the politics of the moment" and press for passage of legislation by the end of the year. "We can't afford the politics of delay and defeat when it comes to health care," Obama said after meeting with doctors, nurses and other health care workers at Children's National Medical Center.

July 17th, 2009 House committee agrees to longer COBRA benefitsWASHINGTON — Lawmakers have amended a far-reaching health care overhaul bill to allow workers who lose their jobs to hang onto their employer-provided care until they get new coverage. The measure agreed to by voice vote in the House Education and Labor Committee affects the program known as COBRA.

July 15th, 2009 Obama stepping up push for health care overhaulWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has scheduled an appearance in the White House Rose Garden today to talk about his top domestic priority: health care reform. The president wants the House and Senate to pass legislation overhauling the nation's health care system before lawmakers leave town for their annual August recess.

July 12th, 2009 Sebelius: All options on table for health planWASHINGTON — Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says the administration wants a health care overhaul this year but is still leaving the details to Congress. Sebelius said on Sunday that a health care overhaul "needs to be owned by the House and the Senate" and won't be dictated by President Barack Obama.

June 28th, 2009 Axelrod expects Senate to tackle health care firstWASHINGTON — A top presidential adviser says it probably will be the fall before the Senate deals with a major climate change bill that just passed the House. White House aide David Axelrod says he thinks health care overhaul will be the first thing on senators' agenda.